Self-Seeding of a Gain-Switched Integrated Dual-Laser Source for the Generation of Highly Wavelength-Tunable Picosecond Optical Pulses

Abstract

The authors demonstrate the generation of nearly transform-limited optical pulses that are wavelength tunable over almost 50 nm. The wide tuning range is obtained by self-seeding a gain-switched source containing two Fabry-Perot lasers, and employing a widely tunable Bragg grating in the feedback loop. The generated pulses exhibit Side-mode suppression ratios of 50 dB above and across the full tuning range.